As my years of homeschooling younger children come to a close, one of the things I enjoy is to teach religious education at the parish. I love telling the kids about the Saints. I just do not think the students hear stories being told or read to them at school these days. These books are a wonderful resource for me, as I keep them for the last part of the class and the students will look forward to each chapter. It has been my experience that it is their favorite part of the class and the one time they are all quiet and attentive! Saints' stories inspire and teach so much about the virtues, the journey to holiness, and also about history... and so much more! Lisa Hendey, aka CatholicMom.com, did a wonderful job creating these books. I like to call them a Catholic alternative to the Magic Tree House books. The protagonists are twins who must help clean the parish, and, well, let's say the confessional, like a certain wardrobe from a another series, becomes a door to another time in history. Each book brings up a saint to get to know, and a lesson they learn. Add super cute illustrations by Jenn Bower and we have a winner series!

With 26 Fairmount Avenue, Tomie dePaola has written an account of when he was four and five years old and awaiting the building of his new home on Fairmount Ave. The story opens in 1938 with a huge hurricane blowing into town, upsetting life as well as trees. Mama calms everyone's fears by sprinkling the neighbors and the children with holy water. (Direct Catholic references are few, but nice to see.)

Primarily, his Catholic faith is witnessed through his family's relationships with one another, as well as their friends and neighbors. For instance, Tomie's relationship with his great grandmother is a beautiful example of a young child loving and respecting an elderly person. Tomie likes to spend time with his great grandmother. "...my Nana upstairs was a special person to me. I loved her and every Sunday I spent all my time with her." This is quite amazing for a child his age when you realize that Nana upstairs is so old that she has to be tied into a chair so that she won't fall over.

Written with warmth and amusing anecdotes, this book is a delight to read. I highly recommend reading his numerous other books as well.

If you are interested in reading more about his childhood, Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs is about his visiting his great grandmother. Now One Foot, Now the Other and Tom are about his grandfather. The Baby Sister is about his joyful anticipation of his baby sister and the difficulties of waiting for her arrival. The Art Lesson is about his love of art, his desire to be an artist someday, and his hope to take a "real" art lesson in school with a "real" art teacher. All these books are picture books, expressing a child's point of view with reverence for others and respect and joy for life.

It’s back in print! One of my favorite series for young children, the Latsch Valley Farm series (formerly called Polish American Girls series), is being reprinted. The first in the series, First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story is now available from Bethlehem Books with lovely new illustrations. Enter into the world of six-year-old Anna and her large Polish family as she grows up in rural Wisconsin during the 1870s. A true story, very close in time and location to Little House in the Big Woods, First Farm in the Valley offers a different perspective, the adventures of a little girl growing up in a large Catholic family that joyfully welcomes newcomers to the valley and actively supports their growing community. The story is filled with the warmth and humor of family life as well as the reality of sadness and death that was so very present to children living in that time and place. The unique customs and traditions (and the fact that Anna herself speaks Polish!) are quite fascinating. Anna is a happy little girl who chooses to do what is right, even when it's difficult. When she fears they will be attacked by wolves, she bravely helps her brother take the sheep to the pasture. Along with her sisters, she selflessly and generously plans a special name day surprise for her mother. With a grateful heart, she expresses joy and wonder at the simply joys in life - like sparklers and ice cream. Anna is not the only character who exhibits admirable qualities worth emulating. Her father is also a wonderful example of goodness and virtue. For example, when an argument erupts among all the fathers about where to build the new school after the schoolhouse burns down and her father is insulted, he holds his temper. A hardworking, industrious man, he likes to share in the simple joys of life with his children, like playing games with them or buying sparklers from them even if he thinks they are “a little foolishness.” One lovely aspect of the story are the many examples of the family living their Catholic faith. Even if the family does not always understand it, they see the hand of God behind the many events in their lives - from the neighbor’s field that is spared during a hailstorm to the overwhelming grief of the many loved ones lost to diphtheria. Not just a little girls' story, this compelling story would be of interest to all ages. Editor's Note: It's quite interesting that we have available to us three true stories for children that take place within about 50 miles and 15 years of each other: Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (1864-1865, Downsville, Wisconsin), Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (early 1870s, Pepin, Wisconsin) and First Farm in the Valley by Anne Pellowski (1876, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin). These stories would make great reading together and if you ever find yourself visiting this very lovely, largely undeveloped area of Wisconsin, there are a number of related historic sites worth visiting.

This book is a special companion to Penny Gardner's original Nine-Note Recorder Method text. Containing almost 50 traditional Catholic hymns, it offers arrangements suitable for Mass as well as lesson work. Prior recorder experience is assumed.

As with the other books in this series, the duets and trios in Easy Duets for Catholics can be played on any combination of "C" instruments. While the creative possibilities are seemingly endless, perhaps my family's favorite part of this particular book is that the lyrics are included, allowing us to be steeped in the truths of our faith while making beautiful music!

Titles include: "Immaculate Mary", "O Saving Victim" and "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest."